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[Lunar Orbiter II] The Picture of the Century: bird’s eye view into...
[Lunar Orbiter II] The Picture of the Century: bird’s eye view into the heart of Crater Copernicus. NASA, 24 November 1966. Printed 1966. Vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based paper [NASA image LRC II-162H2 and H3]. 25.4×20.3 cm (10×8 in), blank on the verso.
Literature: LIFE, 9 December 1966, pp. 50–51; TIME, 9 December 1966, pp. 50–51; Exploring Space with a Camera (NASA SP-168), Cortright, ed., pg. 89; Moon: Man’s Greatest Adventure, Thomas, ed., ppg. 134–135; Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon, Reynolds, ppg. 56–57; Apollo Expeditions to the Moon (NASA SP-350), Cortright, ed., chapter 5.5.
This breath-taking view was one of Lunar Orbiter II's most captivating photographic achievements. Along with the equally famous Earthrise image taken by Lunar Orbiter I, the Moon went from being a distant sight in the sky to a world waiting to be explored.
For many people who had only seen an Earth-based telescopic view looking down into the crater Copernicus, this oblique view suddenly transformed that static lunar feature into a dramatic landscape with rolling mountains, sweeping palisades, and tumbling land-slides. The crater Copernicus is about 60 miles in diameter, 2 miles deep, with 3000-foot cliffs. Peaks near the center of the crater form a mountain range about 10 miles long and 2000 feet high. Lunar Orbiter II recorded this “picture of the year” on November 28, 1966, from 28.4 miles above the surface when it was about 150 miles due south of the crater. (Apollo Expeditions to the Moon (NASA SP-350), Cortright, ed., chapter 5.5).
This historic photograph taken with the 610mm high resolution telephoto lens was hailed at the time as “The Picture of the Century.” The view left millions in awe when it was released. The central peaks are in the middle of the image, rising as high as 1.2 km above the crater floor, and stretching for about 15 km. The northern wall of the crater is in the background. Characteristics of the landscape are clearly shown by the shadows produced by the rising Sun, whose elevation was approximately 10 degrees above the horizon. Numerous mounds are visible on the floor of Copernicus, in addition to the central peaks. “On first seeing this oblique view of the crater Copernicus I was awed by the sudden realization that this prominent lunar feature I have often viewed by telescope is a landscape of real mountains and valleys, obviously fashioned by tremendous forces of nature.” Oran Nicks, NASA office of Space Flights and Applications (Cortright, p. 88).
Condition Report:Small creases to corners, otherwise excellent condition.
Please notice: Supplementary material not included.
Category:Photos ▸ Vintage photographs
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[Lunar Orbiter II] The Picture of the Century: bird’s eye view into the heart of Crater Copernicus. NASA, 24 November 1966. Printed 1966. Vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based paper [NASA image LRC II-162H2 and H3]. 25.4×20.3 cm (10×8 in), blank on the verso.
Literature: LIFE, 9 December 1966, pp. 50–51; TIME, 9 December 1966, pp. 50–51; Exploring Space with a Camera (NASA SP-168), Cortright, ed., pg. 89; Moon: Man’s Greatest Adventure, Thomas, ed., ppg. 134–135; Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon, Reynolds, ppg. 56–57; Apollo Expeditions to the Moon (NASA SP-350), Cortright, ed., chapter 5.5.
This breath-taking view was one of Lunar Orbiter II's most captivating photographic achievements. Along with the equally famous Earthrise image taken by Lunar Orbiter I, the Moon went from being a distant sight in the sky to a world waiting to be explored.
For many people who had only seen an Earth-based telescopic view looking down into the crater Copernicus, this oblique view suddenly transformed that static lunar feature into a dramatic landscape with rolling mountains, sweeping palisades, and tumbling land-slides. The crater Copernicus is about 60 miles in diameter, 2 miles deep, with 3000-foot cliffs. Peaks near the center of the crater form a mountain range about 10 miles long and 2000 feet high. Lunar Orbiter II recorded this “picture of the year” on November 28, 1966, from 28.4 miles above the surface when it was about 150 miles due south of the crater. (Apollo Expeditions to the Moon (NASA SP-350), Cortright, ed., chapter 5.5).
This historic photograph taken with the 610mm high resolution telephoto lens was hailed at the time as “The Picture of the Century.” The view left millions in awe when it was released. The central peaks are in the middle of the image, rising as high as 1.2 km above the crater floor, and stretching for about 15 km. The northern wall of the crater is in the background. Characteristics of the landscape are clearly shown by the shadows produced by the rising Sun, whose elevation was approximately 10 degrees above the horizon. Numerous mounds are visible on the floor of Copernicus, in addition to the central peaks. “On first seeing this oblique view of the crater Copernicus I was awed by the sudden realization that this prominent lunar feature I have often viewed by telescope is a landscape of real mountains and valleys, obviously fashioned by tremendous forces of nature.” Oran Nicks, NASA office of Space Flights and Applications (Cortright, p. 88).
Condition Report:Small creases to corners, otherwise excellent condition.
Please notice: Supplementary material not included.
Category:Photos ▸ Vintage photographs
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
